Cup and saucer combination



May 5, 1942. T w, SHE TS 2,281,720

CUP AND SAUCER COMBINATION Filed Dec. 14, 1959 INV EN TOR. WILLIAM SHEFTS ATTORNEY.

'refreshment, such as cofiee or tea,

Patented May 5,. 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CUP AND SAUGER- COMBINATION William Sheits, New York, N. Y. Application December 14, 1939, Serial No. 309,120

2 Claims. (CI. 65-13) The present invention is concerned with a novel cup and saucer combination.

Frequently, when one is served. with a liquid the saucer is found partly filled with the liquid which therefore contacts with and adhcresto the bottom of the cup so that in raising the cup to the lips of theuser he or she is subjected to the annoyance of having the excess liquid drip upon his or her clothing, table cloth, etc.

It is accordingly one of the principal objects of my invention to suitably shape and construct the cup and saucer whereby the above disadvantage may be overcome. I accomplish this by providing the saucer with a trough or well with which there communicate a plurality of conveniently-located channels or gutters.

It often happens with the present type of cup and saucer, unless the server or waiter exercises a reasonable degree of care, that the cup swims around the saucer, spilling the liquid, and it may even result in the cup dropping to the floor.

Another important object of my invention therefore is the provision of positive gripping mean whereby in transit the cup is retained or immovably held within the saucer to preclude slippage. For that reason the cup and saucer construction according to my invention is admirable for use on airplanes, railroad dining cars, auto trailers and other conveyances.

The novel features characteristic oif my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however. both as to its construction and combination. of elements together with other objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which- Fig. l is a cross sectional view on the line i-l of Fig. 2 showing the cup retained within the trough of the saucer.

Fig. 2 is a plan. view of the saucer connecting channels.

Fig. 3 shows a partial view in perspective of a modified form of trough for the saucer, and

Fig. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the modification disclosed in Fig. 3 showing the cup in position.

In the several figures like or similar elements are designated by the same reference characters. Referring now to Fig. 1, the cup l is of usual construction except that at its base or bottom there is provided an undercut rim portion 2 of reduced diameter which is adapted to have a showing the upon the upper close fit within the centrally located trough or well 3 formed in the saucer 4. Enclrclingthe rim portion 2 on the under surface of the cup is a shoulder or ledge 2 which is adapted to cooperate with the upper surface of the saucer adjacent the trough in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter; The side wall ll oi the trough or well is preferably given a slight taper, as shown, to facilitate manufacture, and also to permit quicker drying, as whenallowed to stand on edge in a drying rack.

Also formed in the saucer are a plurality of channels or gutters 6 which slope from the upper or top surface I of the saucer downwardly to communicate with the trough 3. shown in Fig. 2 each channel or gutter is formed of the two halves or faces 8 and 8 which con-' verge at the center line 9, the latter and the faces sloping downwardly as illustrated in Fig. 1.

The bottom edge of the cup marked ill in Fig.

1, and which is also the outer edge of the shoulder 2', is represented in Fig. 2 by the dot and dash circle Ill. It will be observed that there are several points of contact between the cup and saucer. These are indicated by the elliptl-= cally-shaped portions H of the upper surface l of the saucer, which portions are suitably distributed around the upper edge of the trough 3. Between each pair or adjacent contacting portlons N, there one of the channels 6 which are adapted to carry off, somewhat in accordance with the water-shed principle, any excess liquid that may have happened to be spilled onto the surface of the saucer. The snug fit between the rim portion 2 at the bottom of the cup and theupper portion of the wall 5 of the trough provides positive means for retaining the cup on the saucer in transit and precludes slippage therebetween. Also, the depth of the trough is suitably chosen so that with the cup on the position shown appreciable liquid will be accumulated within the trough without touching the bottom of the cup. In the modification shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the trough 3' is comprised of a tapered sidewall from which at regular intervals there project a plurality of lugs it (only one being shown) surface ii of which the shoulder 2' of the cup is adapted to rest, as shown in Fig. 4. Of course, it will be understood that any suitable number of lugs, such as three, four or more, may be employed. It will be observed that with the cup lnpositlona plurality of channels are provided for drawing off the excess liquid from the upper surface 1 of the saucer into As best the trough 3', the mouth bottom edge I While I have made without departing scope of the invention. What I claim as Letters Patent is:

1. A saucer and spilled into tize saucer is hering to the asev oi the cup, prising a trough, a plurality of the saucer and of each such channel being formed by the upper edge of 5', the

or the cup and the sides of a pair of addacent lugs i2.

shown and described preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be underand changes may be from the spirit and a cup adapted to be used in combination therewith whereby excess liquid prevented from adsaid saucer com- V-shaped chancommunicating oi. the cup being opposing new and desire to secure by 1o plurality of channels formed in the upper surface of the saucer and sloping downwardly to Join with the upper portion of the trough side wall, and means formed at the bottom of the is prevented from adsurface oi the saucer and sloping downwardly to join with the upper portion of the trough a plurality of spaced-apart surfaces closely with the upper annular of the trough side wall.

WILLIAM SHEF'IS.

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